Positive Mitzvah 19: Grace after Meals
Deuteronomy 8:10 "When you have eaten and are satisfied then you must bless G-d"

"Thanks for the apples. What do I owe you, Sir?"

"That drink was just what I needed! How much is it, please?"

"That doughnut looks delicious! Is a quarter enough?"

We enjoy the food that we eat, and often, even though we must pay for it, we take food for granted.

For a moment, stop and think about how that food was made.

The farmer plants the seeds, yet he can't make them grow.

The baker mixes the ingredients, but he can't produce them.

Only HaShem causes it all to exist.

The Torah commands us to thank HaShem after every meal.

We must always remember that it is HaShem who allowed the seeds to grow into the wheat, and the wheat to be harvested into grain.

We are commanded to thank HaShem for allowing us to enjoy the fruits of the earth.

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Positive Mitzvah 215: Circumcision
Genesis 17:10 "Every male child among you shall be circumcised"

HaShem made the Jewish people special and different.

The Torah sets us apart from all other nations.

HaShem wants that special quality to be imprinted on our bodies to serve as a constant reminder and sign of our uniqueness.

He commanded that all males be circumcised.

Circumcision is called a brit, a covenant, connecting our people to HaShem.

If HaShem wanted us to be circumcised why didn't He create us circumcised from birth?

HaShem wants us to reach this state through our own efforts and actions.

Through our performance of this Positive Mitzvah, we establish this bond with HaShem.

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If you see what needs to be repaired and how to repair it, then you have found a piece of the world that G-d has left for you to complete. But if you only see what is wrong and how ugly it is, then it is yourself that needs repair.

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com